


Space Oddity

by spacedreams



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog (Video Games), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Character Death, Developing Relationship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Paranormal, Psychological Trauma, Repression, Set after SA2, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-15
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-01-31 00:28:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21437197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacedreams/pseuds/spacedreams
Summary: The last time Sonic sees his rival is when the other hedgehog is violently thrown out of his super form, Mobius stealing him from Sonic’s side, a hero blazed out. The black and red hedgehog leaves his mark on Sonic’s life. Shadow was his name, a rival worthy of respect, a friend against all odds.
Relationships: Shadow the Hedgehog & Sonic the Hedgehog, Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 22
Kudos: 161





	1. one

**Author's Note:**

> this is a halloween exercise I've sat on for way too long. I wanted to play with different tenses... it was OK lol. I had a horrible day. lost my car but I am grateful that there's good public transportation to my uni near my house. sigh... you guys have a good day for me. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy!

The last time Sonic sees his rival is when the other hedgehog is violently thrown out of his super form, Mobius stealing him from Sonic’s side, a hero blazed out. The black and red hedgehog leaves his mark on Sonic’s life. _ Shadow _ was his name, a rival worthy of respect, a friend against all odds. 

Sonic remembers the feel of Shadow’s abandoned inhibitors against his glove. The golden rings had been freezing to the touch, chilled with cosmic mourning, never to be worn again. He remembers racing against Shadow in the palm of space, their voices muted and adrenaline high. He goes back to his Super form, how in-sync he felt with the other hedgehog, a blinding feeling based on shaky trust. 

Shadow drops from his place next to him so fast, faster than Sonic can think. He’s like a lone firework, violent and bright and beautiful.

From the time Shadow dies to the time weeks later when Sonic finds himself peering over his couch, he can’t get the hedgehog out of his head. His eyes are dry from not blinking, and his body is as tight as a coil while he stares into a pair of dim, red eyes behind his window. The figure looks like Shadow, the Shadow he thinks about, but there’s something off about the way he’s holding himself. Sonic knows the biohog is dead, he saw his body burn up himself, so who the hell is on his doorstep?

Sonic leaps up, his body on high alert and his feet restless as he wishes he had kept his shoes on. Luckily, he sees them out of the corner of his eye and maintains eye-contact with the stranger while he hurriedly slips them on. He feels vulnerable but not scared. This was probably just another sick attempt at getting under his skin by Eggman. The doctor’s evilness knew no bounds. 

“Shadow?” Sonic whispers, ears perking up as if Shadow will actually speak back. _ His voice, _ Sonic realizes, his chest aching, _ I can’t remember what it sounds like. _“Shadow, that isn’t you, is it?”

The figure smiles sadly, and Sonic’s blood freezes when his lights suddenly turn off. He whips around, taking in his darkened surroundings. He zips to the door, grimacing when he finds that it’s locked somehow from the outside. Yeah, _that_ wasn't normal. Spin-dashing at the reinforced entrance, Sonic feels goosebumps rise on his skin. Beads of sweat form on the back of his neck as whispers come from behind him, the source further in the house. It’s an arrogant, soft voice—one that makes Sonic’s nerves rise. The hero doesn’t turn back, ignoring the chilly, fleeting touches on his quills, and spin-dashes the door for the second time. It breaks into shards, spitting out into the front lawn as Sonic lands on the grass and instantly looks around his yard. 

It’s a clear, hot night, but the air is still. Chaos is holding in a breath, hesitant to let go. The grass sticks up like sharp blades, and the moon is full and bright. Sonic inhales and exhales deeply, steeling himself before turning around and facing his house. There’s a dark figure standing in his doorway, red eyes staring at him unwaveringly. He’s an apparition, Sonic sees the way the moonlight goes through his body, splaying out on the wooden floor behind him like a blanket. 

The figure certainly does look like Shadow, but the difference is that this Shadow looks incredibly… sad. His eyes are dim, smile gone, and frown disconsolate. Sonic feels the need to reach out, but when he does take a step forward, this Shadow moves back as if he’s terrified. Sonic raises his hands up in surrender, voice gentle when he speaks. 

“Hey, I’m your friend, remember?” he says, feeling absolutely weird as he takes in the situation he’s in. This ghost of Shadow...if he even was. Why is the biohog here? Is he hallucinating? Maybe he shouldn’t have had that cappuccino earlier. “Are you… Shadow?”

The figure casts his eyes down, and shoulders slump as if they are made of lead. When he opens his mouth, only barely audible whispers come out. They all mesh together, and Sonic can’t distinguish one from the other. The ghost sees Sonic’s face twist in confusion and leaves the doorway, only to appear right in front of the hero. 

Sonic lets out a mangled scream. The Shadow in front of him is extremely thin and the hero can see every one of his deceased companion’s sharp ribs. The ghost’s eyes are red but far paler than they had been when Shadow was alive. The dead hedgie looks haggard and charred, and one of his burnt hands reaches toward Sonic with a mild tremor. 

The whispers rise to a crescendo before the world suddenly goes silent again and the strange Shadow opens his mouth again. “_It burns_,” he says softly, his voice tortured. “_This world only burns me. I need your help._” 

Sonic feels his eyes sting as his mouth opens in shock. His heart fiercely aches and he clasps this Shadow’s hand without hesitation, unable to truly grab onto it but holding the air around the transparent limb anyway. 

“I will do anything,” he manages. “What do you need me to help with?”

The ghost frowns, his gaze focused on Sonic’s hovering hand. _“I_ _need you...to take me to where I died.” _

“What?” Sonic sputters before clearing his throat. Maybe this really _ is _ Shadow. “I… I don’t know where you died, Shadow. I… I’m sorry. You were in the atmosphere...”

“_I__t was somewhere, somewhere blue. There was… so much blue,” _ Shadow answers, his body fluttering when a burst of wind comes out of nowhere. “_I never made it to the surface. My body, I think it’s gone…” _

“Oh,” Sonic tries not to choke up. “Well, maybe I can help jog your memory?”

The ghost looks at him for a moment, his mouth slightly parted. Some of the skin on his cheek is burnt off and Sonic tries not to stare at the exposed muscle. “_Anything,” _ Shadow whispers, “_I must find... her.” _

Sonic tilts his head, puzzled. “Do you mean Rouge?” he asks. It makes his stomach drop when he realizes he knows next to nothing about the biohog except for that fact that he had a _ fierce _ mean streak and was the 'Ultimate Lifeform.' 

“_Rouge...” _ Shadow drifts off, his form flickering again even though the wind had stopped. “_Not her, but _ _ I… remember. I sense...” _

It’s concerning that the biohog doesn’t remember the treasure hunter, deceased or not. He fights back the urge to ask Shadow what he’s talking about, but he can’t find it in him to interrupt the poor guy's moment. He merely watches the other hedgehog shimmer in the moonlight, his grasp on reality slowly fading away before Shadow suddenly blasts off into the fields. The hero is quick to follow, wondering how Shadow manages to slip into the speed of sound when the biohog is _ dead _. 

_ Maybe it’s an Ultimate Lifeform thing, _ Sonic ponders, his eyes not leaving the ragged form of his companion’s. _ Even though he’s looking a little worn, he runs like he’s still here. _

Technically, the ghost _ is _ with Sonic, and even though he doesn’t really think it’s the best idea to be following around a poltergeist of his dead rival who helped him save the world, the hero is never one to turn down a crazy adventure. 

“Where are you going, Shads?” Sonic yells, and the ghost doesn’t look back. Shadow keeps his eyes locked onto the stars, his gaze distant and dazed. “Shadow?”

The translucent biohog bursts forward, his speed accelerating as the landscape evolves before them. Mountains come and go, and skyscrapers and obnoxious city noises fade away as quickly as they appear. The sky alternates colors as the hedgehogs slip from day to night, time zones changing as they speed through Mobius. At some point, Shadow comes to a halt and Sonic immediately follows. 

_ How long were we running? _ Sonic asks himself, looking curiously to the sky before realizing they were probably on the other side of the continent. His body feels exhausted, his nerves completely frazzled. _ Chaos, I’m starving… _

He turns his gaze to Shadow. The ghost stands before him, his fists clenched and his red eyes too _alive_ for a dead hedgehog. Shadow’s looking at something in the sky, but Sonic can’t tell what it is. Shadow came to a place where it seems like every single star in space is visible. Around the hero are rocky plains scattered with flowers and judging from how little air there is, they are somewhere high up. Yet, while Sonic can discern everything on the ground, he can’t distinguish what Shadow is looking at before something clicks.

_ The… ARK! _

Sonic raises a hand toward his companion, the ghosts’ eyes never leaving his once home. The blue hero tries to find the words to say, but then Shadow points a finger at the ARK, his expression full of torment, and screams, “_Who am I? _”

_ What’s it like… to not know who you are? _ Sonic thinks, his eyes burning and hands fumbling in the air. He looks away. He’s at a total loss, and his heart hammers in his chest as he tries not to panic. _ And he… kept it all to himself? Did he ever even have a chance to live? _Sonic wishes he knew more.

There’s a pained groan from Shadow and Sonic’s attention turns to his friend. Shadow’s form is flickering wildly, and Sonic stares with dread as some of the ghost’s limbs flicker away entirely only to come back a millisecond later. He was growing unstable. Shadow was losing his spectral form.

“Shadow!” Sonic calls out, his voice wavering slightly. “Man, what do I need to do to help?”

The ghost doesn’t respond. Instead, Shadow falls to the floor and struggles to keep himself upright. Sonic kneels next to him and frantically tries to grab onto him. He searches for anything—chaos energy, some sudden burst of power that would miraculously help him—but he comes up with nothing. It’s the first time he’s felt lost, and when Shadow caves in and collapses fully, Sonic watches in horror as the biohog’s form disappears completely. 

“No!” Sonic’s ears pin back, sweat blanketing his pelt. He feels himself get light-headed from a lack of air and forces himself to breathe deeply. Shadow needs his help, and Sonic isn’t one to get sidetracked. “It’s okay. It’s okay, I got this. Right… maybe?”

The hero leans forward, his concentration at an all-time high and his gloved hand hovering over where Shadow’s ghost had disappeared. He takes another deep breath before his hand meets a wave of powerful energy. Sonic feels the ground under him shift. His head spins and his body feels cold, like forgotten metal. When the hero manages to open his eyes, he sees a sea of stars and a pair of vibrant red eyes before his world goes completely dark. 


	2. two

Sonic wakes up to soft humming. It’s an outdated tune, but he recognizes it from one of the samples back in his studio. His eyes won’t open, head heavy against a smooth, cold surface. Even as his ears angle towards the music, Sonic can’t move. It sounds like a kid singing and he wonders where the heck he is. His thoughts turn sour, frustration and pent-up anger brimming to the surface. The hero feels awake, but he’s not able to budge. 

_ This sucks, _ he thinks to himself, voice screaming in his head. _ At least I know I’m somewhere neutral. If I was gonna get attacked, I would’ve been toast by now. Couldn’t be Eggman… there’s no way. _

As if on command, a loud crash followed by a strangled cry echoes through what sounds like a hallway. Sonic’s eyes shoot open and he barely manages to repress a grateful shout. He quickly hops to his feet—not bothering to wait—and groans as his knees buckle, causing him to fall. His body is on the brink of giving in and even though Sonic doesn’t feel close to death, he can tell the darkness creeping along the edges of his vision is _ real._

Ignoring his body’s protests, he brings himself upright and sits with his legs crossed. With a contemplative look on his face, the hero takes in his state. He isn’t restrained, and there aren’t any visible wounds on his body. Taking his eyes off his form, Sonic glances up and sees an eternal cloak of stars and a glowing green and blue planet. 

“Damn,” he clicks his tongue. “_That _ place looks familiar…”

The room he is in has no odor. It’s too cold to notice if it did, even with Sonic’s relatively decent sense of smell. The blue hedgehog struggles to his feet and takes a deep breath, eyes roaming over the aged metal, glowing hazard lights, and worn glass walls. The ARK hasn’t changed since Sonic and Shadow realigned its orbit. Sonic limps to the glass and presses his nose against it, shuddering at how cold it is. It’s silent now, but Sonic—while he has an idea of what’s to come—takes a second to brace himself before zipping down the hall where he heard the cries. 

_ Shadow, why did you bring me here? _ he wonders before spin-dashing through a barricade of doors. The crash must have been something enormous for Sonic to have heard it through such thick metal. Flinging himself off a wall and skidding across the floor, the hero slams into the last barricade with his shoulder. The door shudders, and the faded _ Caution! _ sign plastered on its surface cracks along with the entryway. 

Sonic steps into what looks like the remains of an extreme laboratory. His ears press against the sides of his head before straightening, curved and listening intently. There’s not a single sound but his own soft breath and the occasional squeak of his shoes. In the middle of the lab, there’s a mountain of bullet-ridden glass, pipes, wires, and metal. Surrounding this are charred and broken stations with a thick layer of dust and miscellaneous glassware. His gaze sharpens when he finds scattered bones and frayed, aged clothing strewn carelessly across the floor. This is a murder scene, regardless if it was decades old. 

Without much thought, Sonic cups his hands around his mouth and shouts, “Shadow! I forgot the layout of this place! Gimme another yell!”

Placing his hands on his hips, Sonic waits for a second before tapping his foot. The ARK is still horribly silent, and Sonic thinks to himself that Shadow better not be in actual Space since he doesn’t have the means to go Super. There’s no response, even after a couple of minutes pass, so Sonic gives the grim lab on last look, cringing at what looks like a femur, and leaves. 

He races through the ARK, spin-dashing through weakened doors and calling out for the lost hedgehog. There isn’t a doubt in his mind that Shadow isn’t here with him. It makes no sense otherwise. Why would Eggman bring him back to one of his greatest failures? The Doctor’s pride will never let him come back. It was Shadow, or something that looks like Shadow, that led him back here, and Sonic isn’t leaving until he finds out the whole story. 

Strangely, Sonic feels the urge to go back to the room where he woke up. He follows his heart, and when he arrives the layout is different and it's like he’s stepping back in time. 

“The launch room,” Sonic murmurs, heart momentarily stopping when his eyes meet Shadow’s. The black and red hedgehog stands before him, his body completely solid. He looks like he did when Sonic first met him. “You… are you real? It’s okay if you’re not, I just gotta know. Maybe ‘faker’ will actually make sense if you’re just a hallucination. Ha.”

This Shadow scoffs, expression pinched, before he turns back to the launch podium, his long, angled quills completely alert. Sonic watches intently, unable to look away as he steps closer. He can feel the other hedgehog’s tension as he nears the terminal, and he keeps his own quills sharp in case Shadow decides he doesn't want the hero’s help anymore. 

“Hey, pal,” he starts, smile neutral, “wanna tell me what’s going on? You’re the one that brought me here, right?”

Sonic glances to the middle of the room and spots the launch pad, the clear capsule that Eggman sent him down to Earth sits prettily like he hadn’t almost died in it. The emergency power lights are on in this room, casting an eerie red glow across the area. Shadow’s back is still facing him, and Sonic wants to grab the other hedgehog by his shoulders and shake the answers out of him. 

“Faker,” he tries, frustration lacing his tone. 

“I…” Shadow’s hand comes up to the terminal where the launch button rests. “This is where… this is… she…”

“What was that?” Sonic takes the initiative and zips next to Shadow. 

“My…” Shadow is struggling to speak. Sonic notices the way his eyebrows furrow and knows he trying to remember. 

_ Remember what exactly? _he wonders. 

“My sister… _ Maria_,” Shadow’s leans forward and rests his head on the platform. Sonic can’t see the other hedgehog’s face but he knows it isn’t pretty. 

The hero’s ears raise imploringly and his breath struggles to remain steady. Shadow has a _ sister. _Well, _ had_. And his voice sounds normal. It doesn’t have that unearthly, wispy quality like it did back on the surface. It’s cold and soft, just like it was before. 

Shadow’s hand is hovering over a red button, the kind of button that Sonic would see in movies that causes nothing but trouble. It takes a second before the blue hedgehog realizes it’s the eject button for the launch pad, the same button that attempted to snuff him out. Why Shadow is here of all places, Sonic can’t answer since the other hedgehog only speaks in broken sentences. He comes to the conclusion that he needs to find a method to this madness, so he reaches a hand out and places it over the eject button. Madness on madness usually does the trick. 

His companion shoots up immediately, his clawed, bare hands grabbing Sonic’s wrist in a steel grip that Sonic is sure is going to leave deep bruises. 

“Don’t touch that!” Shadow yells, yanking Sonic close before throwing the hero over his shoulder. “That is not a toy!”

Sonic jumps to his feet before he hits the ground and rounds on Shadow. Now he has Shadow’s eyes on him and him only. This is his chance to get some answers. “Shadow, do you remember coming to my house and asking me for help? You said that you only got burned and that you were trying to find your body. You were trying to find some girl, but you didn’t remember who?”

Shadow lets go of his wrist, his mouth agape. “The atmosphere—” the hedgehog grabs at his head and howls. Sonic jumps forward and one of his hand hovers worryingly over the black and red hedgie’s quills. “My body… it burned in the atmosphere but it’s still... The Earth was so blue but I passed out before I could even realize I was…”

“Gone,” Sonic finishes, his hands back at his side and fists clenched. “You fell from my side. I couldn’t reach you in time. Shadow, I—I’m _ sorry._ We saved the world together and you didn’t even get a chance to really see the planet you saved.”

“I saw that planet enough,” Shadow growls, his expression darkening. “Those humans Maria loved so much hated me for existing. Why she wanted them to be happy is beyond me, but for her… I would do anything. So...this planet is mine to protect.”

“Maria,” Sonic repeats. “Who is that? You said she was your sister, right? What…” he pauses before continuing. “What happened to her?”

Shadow’s gaze turns dull. He turns his attention toward Sonic and reaches out for the hero again, his large hands engulfing Sonic’s shoulders. The hero tries not to jump at the contact. Shadow never once touched him so freely. His hands are surprisingly soft, but the black, long claws are a weapon of their own right and they dig into Sonic’s fur without mercy. The other hedgehog wordlessly leads him toward the launch pad, the capsule getting ready to deploy when the pair gets close. 

“Shadow, what are you doing? I’m not going in there,” Sonic snaps. “Please, just let me help you. This is what you asked for, isn’t it? My help? Why are you pushing me away, literally, man?”

The hero feels conflicted. He doesn’t know how much force needs to be used to get his companion to stop messing around, but he isn’t going into that launch pod. 

“Shadow, stop,” he whips around and rips the others’ hands off of him, arms aching from the hedgehog’s claws. “I- _ what?” _

Even though he freed himself, Sonic suddenly stands in the locked capsule. His hands lay flat against the glass. His breath puffs against the clear, smooth surface, eyes wide in shock. Shadow is no longer next to him, but hunched over the terminal. Sonic's companion's face twists in agony and his bare hand hovers forlornly over the button. The hero's blood runs cold. 

“Faker, don’t you dare!”he yells, pounding on the glass. “Shadow, no!”

His ears droop when he sees how much Shadow is struggling to stay upright. The other is clawing and clutching at his head as if he's trying to drive something away. Sonic blinks, distressed at the sight, and his world changes. His hands are not his own, in fact, they’re _ Shadow’s_. The weight of the inhibitors feels foreign to him, and Sonic shakes his head violently before he realizes that maybe Shadow isn’t trying to kill him but is _ showing _him something instead. After all, isn't Sonic helping him remember?

When he looks up at the terminal where Shadow stood, there’s a kid with blonde hair and a dirty blue dress. She looks hurt, and Sonic grimaces at the sight. Who hurt the kid, he doesn’t know, but if he finds them they’ll regret ever messing with her. 

“Shadow, bring hope to humanity,” the kid pleads, panicked tears spilling down her face. 

Sonic stands in shock, not able to control his movements when he starts crying out for her. “Maria!”

_ Maria?! Shadow's sister? _ he thinks, barely understanding what’s happening. _ Chaos, what is going on?! _

Before the kid can press the button, the doors are forced open. Sonic recognizes the GUN logo on the invading soldiers’ uniforms and snarls. Some of them are covered in blood, their faces sinister and eyes crazed. Sonic feels a heavy weight fall in his stomach, and the horror that engulfs him as they raise their guns at Maria makes him vomit a little. Before he can call out for her, she presses the button and falls to the ground as a _ bang _ echoes through the room, the soft goodbye barely leaving her lips before a gross amount of blood covers the terminal. Sonic can’t contain the vomit as he’s ejected into space, and he tries to keep steady so he doesn’t pass out from sheer shock. 

_ They just… Maria… _ Sonic’s mind is swimming, thoughts barely able to form. _ Shadow! If only I had known! _

His world turns orange, an intense and brutal heat engulfing his body. Sonic instantly passes out this time, black cloaking his mind. Images intrude after a little while; Sonic sees himself, sees the White Jungle, Eggman awakening Shadow, and Shadow’s struggles with his past, his creation, and his memory. He sees Rouge too, and is glad Shadow at least had her by his side. The hero relives Shadow’s life, his emotions reaching a tipping point before he starts crying out of exhaustion and mournfulness. 

_ Created to be Ultimate, treated like dust. Immortal without a family. _ Sonic closes his eyes. _ Please be somehow alive when I get back, Shadow. You won’t be alone anymore. I promise. _

In the middle of a memory, somewhere near their battle with the Finalhazard, Shadow stops in his tracks and turns toward him. Sonic looks around the area in confusion to see who Shadow's looking at, but the biohog stops right in front of him and tilts his head inquisitively. 

“You are one strange hedgehog, you know that?” Shadow says, his voice surprisingly gentle.

Sonic gapes at the other, not able to find the words to say so he goes with the next best thing. “Well, what you see is—”

“What you get. Yes, hedgehog, I am aware,” Shadow interrupts, but his eyes are warmer than Sonic's ever seen. “Thank you, Sonic, I remember everything now. Nothing is hidden from me. I…” he trails off, pursing his lips. “Goodbye, Sonic the hedgehog.”

“No, not again!” Sonic’s chest aches fiercely. 

Abruptly, the images fade, and the hero’s eyes open to the rocky plains where Shadow led him earlier. Sonic lays on the grass until his body feels _ wrong _ from not moving. 

He turns his head to the side, sees he’s alone, and brings his arms to cover his face. 

“Glad I could help,” he says through stifled tears. “Bye, Shadow. It was... nice knowin’ ya.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a lot of work to do in the next upcoming weeks for school so I probably won't update this until mid/late December jsyk. Telescopes will hopefully be updated by then as well...
> 
> As always, thank you for reading and putting up with my stories! 
> 
> Happy Holidays, everyone <3


	3. three

Sonic lays in his bed, his eyes focused on the old, worn star stickers on his ceiling. They don’t really glow anymore, but Sonic can still make out the faint green of what they used to be. He hasn’t gotten out of bed all day, watching the sun come up late and set early. It’s evening, but it’s dark outside and he can see the soft glow of lights from Tails’ workshop just across the yard from his window. There are no red eyes peering from the distance, and Sonic finds himself burrowing deeper under his blanket until he’s curled in a ball. 

Tails gave him an ample amount of distance when he returned home yesterday; the kid is better at reading emotions than Sonic sometimes. The blue hero could tell his little brother had a thousand questions on the tip of his tongue, but in true Tails’ fashion the kit didn’t say a word past ‘_are you alright?’ _

Thinking about his brother, Sonic sighs. He hasn’t explained the situation yet, doesn’t really know how, and the ever-growing weight in his stomach bogs him down onto his bed, keeping him unmoving for an indeterminate amount of time. Sonic doesn’t usually deal with these feelings, his infectious determination to persevere somehow lacking this time around. For a hedgehog, he’s been through alot and even though sacrifices sometimes must be made, he can’t help but feel like this time he’s been cheated. Sonic deals with near-death experiences almost every day, but he still doesn’t know what’s waiting for him on the other side—never really thinks about it. 

_ Shadow… _ Sonic nuzzles his pillow before laying flat on his back. _ Where did you go after you died? _

The biohog had come to _ him_, a mystery in itself; a glimpse of a friendship that could have been, a life filled with struggle, pain, and small wonders. Sonic thinks to himself that if he had another chance, he would try and talk with the other hedgehog first. Fighting, inevitable when it came to Shadow, could come second. 

“Sonic…?” Tails’ voice interrupts Sonic’s train of thought. The kit’s voice is gentle and Sonic’s ears press against his head as he folds his pillow over his face. He doesn’t respond and he can hear the anxious twirling of his brother’s tails from the other side of the door. “How are you doing?”

Sonic squeezes his eyes shut before bouncing out of bed, his limbs feeling like static from not moving for so long. He rushes to the door and flings it open, leaning on the doorway with his best ‘cool’ impression. “Hey, bud! I’m fine, just staying in for a little rest. You know, the fast life doesn’t really allow for a lot of breaks! I’m taking it slow where I can.”

The look on Tails’ face is wholly unconvinced and Sonic knows he’s a horrible liar to begin with. He can’t imagine how fake he must seem right now. In response, Tails crosses his arms and says nothing. His eyes bore into Sonic’s and the hero feels his gut twist at the unflinching stare. 

“I’m alright, Tails. I promise. I just… I gotta think about some stuff by myself, I guess,” Sonic runs his hands through his quills. “You know, if I’m still angsty by tomorrow you can use that airhorn in your lab to drive me outta the house.”

The airhorn in question is as loud as a tornado siren, and Sonic hopes that he’s done sulking by the time tomorrow comes around for the sake of his hearing. 

Tails gives a small smile. “No, that’ll just make us both deaf…” he trails off before reaching a hand out to grasp Sonic’s arm. “You can talk to me about anything. You’re my brother, it’s only right that I try and help you out where I can.”

Sonic stands up straight, his back cracking as he stretches. “I’ll be OK,” he says, “I promise.” His voice sounds hollow, even to himself, but Tails just gives him a curt nod before moseying down the hallway.

Quickly, Sonic closes the door and rests his forehead on the cold wood. His pelt smells like sweat and plains, so with a heavy heart he heads to the shower. If Tails is already getting on his case, he has to clean up if he doesn’t want the kid to needlessly worry about him. Sonic runs his shower hot, almost burning his fur off in the process. He welcomes it, the temperature wakes him up and takes his mind off Maria, off Shadow, and off his failures. The blue hero isn’t perfect, and every loss still stings.

It’ll take time to forget about Shadow, if he ever will, but as Sonic finishes washing his quills he wonders why Shadow never talked about his past. Surely, so many things could have been avoided if Sonic had known the whole story beforehand, but Shadow wasn’t the type of guy to disclose his past or, well, anything about himself. 

_ I can’t stop thinking about this, _ Sonic internally grouses. _ How much longer do I have to do this until I understand he’s dead_. 

His thoughts race long into the night, keeping him awake until the early hours of the day. He lays in his bed, sits on his carpet, stands by his window, but nothing brings him comfort or solace. Sonic’s eyes eventually wander to the window, looking for a pair of red eyes through the glass. There is nothing but grassy plains and a clear night’s sky, a beautiful sight to everyone but the blue hero. It’s not what he wants to see, and the disappointment and hurt is too much to contain. 

Abruptly, Sonic decides to give Tails a visit in his workshop. The kit’s lights are still on, and Sonic swallows the nervous butterflies in his stomach down as he treads toward the large garage. Chatting with Tails always helps his mood, and since it was almost four in the morning Sonic feels like he should play the part of the responsible big brother and tell the kit to go to bed. 

He’s halfway out the door when something catches his eye on their porch. There’s someone in his favorite rocking chair. Time stops, and his breath comes in short while his limbs feel fuzzy. Sonic’s mouth is stuck open, his ears flickering wildly and feet aching to step forward. There’s another hedgehog in one of the rocking chairs, his elbows resting on his knees and gaze sharp as ever. Black and red quills stand alert behind him, red eyes focusing solely on Sonic. HIs hands are clasped together, a pensive look on his face. Sonic feels faint for a second before he shakes himself out. 

“Faker,” he starts, his voice a little shaky as he tries to rein in his emotions, “you have some explaining to do.” 

“I’m no faker,” Shadow growls and Sonic feels lightheaded at the sound of his voice. 

“You—” Sonic rubs his face exhaustedly. “What’s going on?”

Shadow has a strange expression on his face, one that makes Sonic feel a little better. Guilt. “I’m sorry about dragging you into this. I did not know who—” he stops, flashing his teeth at nothing before turning back to Sonic. “You were the only one that could help. I was stuck in that cursed form and you helped me find my body. The events after that were regrettable. I did not mean to drag you through my life. In fact, I didn’t know that would happen when you returned me to my body.”

Sonic stands still. “Your… body?”

Shadow nods. “Yes, I lost all memories in that spectral form and I somehow remembered the area where the remains of my body landed when you triggered my memory. My spirit was dragged back into my body once we reached the plains.”

Sonic’s mind is whirling, and he cautiously approaches Shadow before reaching a hand out to grasp onto the other’s shoulder. Surprisingly, Shadow lets him but Sonic can tell it’s taking everything out of the biohog to not slap his hand away. Shadow’s fur is soft and trembles with every breath he takes. He’s warm and Sonic instantly knows this Shadow is _ real _. 

Before the other hedgehog can see, Sonic quickly turns around and wipes at his eyes. His heart is pounding against his chest to the point that it hurts. “_Ha! _ That’s crazy!” he manages.

Shadow gives him a small smile. “Yes, some things cannot be explained. But I… regret making you cry.”

“Cry?!” Sonic can feel his cheeks turning beet red and is grateful it’s dark outside. He was definitely crying, emotions tipping over at the sight of Shadow sitting so elegantly in his porch’s rocking chair. “I’m not crying. I haven’t cried in ages. I wouldn’t cry over you!”

“Sure thing, hero,” Shadow says blithely before standing up, his typical cold expression returning. “I need a phone.”

“Shadow, you’re killin’ me, man!” Sonic cries. “Back from the dead and you only want me for my phone!” Shadow looks at him with an indecipherable expression that Sonic chooses to file away for later. “But I gotta say…_what _ a life.”

Shadow remains quiet, but Sonic doesn’t sense any hostility from him. Taking things in stride was part of the blue hero’s job description, so he doesn’t linger on how his chest is pounding and his hands are shaking. Motioning for Shadow to follow him, the two hedgehogs walk inside and Sonic points to the corner with the landline telephone. 

“Over there,” Sonic says and Shadow nods as a way of thanks. “And Shadow? I… I’m sorry too.”

Shadow’s fingers hover over the phone, and he looks at Sonic confusedly. “For what could you possibly be apologizing for?”

Sonic suddenly feels cold. “Maria… I—I’m sorry you went through that all alone. That was... so _horrible,_” He steps forward so that he’s standing in front of the biohog. “You can count on me from here on out, pal.”

If Sonic had a camera, he would have taken a picture of Shadow’s face. Sonic never thought his counterpart would be able to look so flabbergasted. “Hedgehog—!” Shadow sputters before regaining his composure. “Thank you,” he says. “It was hard enough to live through that. You should have never had to experience such a tragedy.”

“Yeah, but I got you back from it,” Sonic says, swiping his nose confidently before deflating. “If you ever need someone to talk to…”

“I’ll go to a therapist,” Shadow finishes. “I’ve burdened you enough.”

“No!” Sonic says. “Well, _ yes _go to a therapist but also I think we can call each other friends at this point, right? You can talk to me too, no strings attached. If you want, of course. You're never a burden.”

Shadow stares at him for a moment before throwing his head back and laughing. His laughter is deep and rough, and Sonic’s ears stand alert to hear it all. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Sonic can feel the heat emanating from his face. “R-right…”

Before either of the hedgehogs can get another word out, the front door bursts open and Tails barges in with an armful of mechanical parts. “Sonic, you’ll never believe what just hap—”

Tails drops everything on the floor, loud clangs echoing through the house. The kit’s face is pure astonishment, his eyes bulging from his head. “Wha?!” He stutters. “_Shadow?” _

“Oh yeah,” Sonic starts, waving a hand in Shadow’s direction. “Shads is back.”

“_He was dead!” _Tails cries, his voice high. 

“What did you just call me?” Shadow asks Sonic, ignoring the stunned kit, displeasure in his voice. 

Sonic waves him off. “Don’t worry about it. It’s your new nickname.”

Two hours and a phone call later, Rouge is hovering over Shadow in disbelief as Tails badgers the biohog with questions. Sonic sits back on his sofa and lets the two hound his counterpart. To think, Shadow survived a fall from Space. 

_ I can’t wait to race with him, _Sonic muses, bringing a hand to his chest and rubbing. He makes eye contact with Shadow and gives the other hedgehog a pleased smile. Shadow returns it with his own before turning back to Rouge. 

Sonic cradles his face in his hand, his eyes never leaving Shadow. _ Adventures never end, huh? _

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the sporadic updates. depression has hit me quite hard and i hate all of my works. i will try to finish my other pieces, but i hope you guys enjoy this small update. 
> 
> happy holidays

**Author's Note:**

> Please excuse any grammar mistakes. I will try and catch them quickly
> 
> Comments are always appreciated
> 
> Thank you for reading !


End file.
